Internet.org: domain investment still a lucrative business

“Even with the imminent arrival of an avalanche of new possibilities to register domain names with all sorts of domain extensions, old winners like .com and .org are still very successful. As the story of Internet.org shows...

Last week, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg announced that, in collaboration with several large companies in the technology sector and the world of telecom, he intends to undertake initiatives to allow more people in developing countries to have access to the Internet, in order to pursue their development. They want to do this by making Internet access cheaper and by developing more efficient apps that process data using less bandwidth. Through partnerships with local operators and companies, new business models should be created to make Internet access easier.

The domain name chosen to support this excellent initiative is quite easy to remember: Internet.org. Obviously, Mr. Zuckerberg did not pull this domain name out of a hat—he had to buy it. No one knows how much Zuckerberg gave to Daniel Thralow, the former owner of internet.org. What we do know, however, is that Thralow purchased this domain name the month before, and that it was for sale for $75,000. And he most probably did not resell it at a loss...

As he says himself, Thralow is a collector. “Some people collect art or wine. I just happen to like domain names”, he said in an interview for TheDomains.com. They are a rare asset, just like fine wine or art, and their value is constantly going up—even now that thousands of new top-level domains will soon open up the entire domain market. Because, for many, the classics among domain extensions, such as .COM, .NET and .ORG, have become a safe bet. While newcomers such as .SEXY, .COOL, .MUSIC, .TRADE, etc. have to be tried and tested.

What about you? Would you choose an (expensive) traditional domain extension such as .COM if there was a much cheaper domain extension available that perfectly describes your profession or objective? A school can pick .COLLEGE, an architect .ARCHITECT, a garage or car dealer .AUTO, a café .CAFE, etc. Do not hesitate to contact us to discuss the many possibilities available for your field or sector.